External peripheral data storage systems such as external disk drives and card readers are standalone units that are commonly mounted to and communicate with a host computer, generally via an external cable such as a universal serial bus (USB) cable or Firewire™ cable.
It is desirable to provide users of peripheral data storage system with some form of display which notifies the users of the status of the peripheral data storage system and provides reassurance that the peripheral data storage system is operational. More recently, these peripheral data storage systems have become more complicated due to added functions and backup options. In today's competitive market, however, complex displays can add to the overall cost of the peripheral data storage system while also being confusing to the user.
Accordingly, what is needed is a more cost-effective method for the notifying the users of the status of the peripheral data storage system.